Surgical fastener applying apparatus

Abstract

A surgical fastener applying apparatus for applying fasteners to body tissue. The apparatus includes a clamping lever including a cantilevered locking member for engaging a catch member positioned at the proximal portion of a cartridge receiving half-section of the apparatus to retain the clamping lever in a clamped position. The clamping lever can include a protrusion which is receivable in a depression on the cartridge receiving half-section. The apparatus includes a disposable firing assembly and cartridge.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:
 an anvil half-section including a distal anvil portion and a proximal handle portion; 
 a cartridge receiving half-section defining an elongated channel member, the elongated channel member having a distal portion dimensioned to releasably receive a cartridge and a proximal portion configured to support a firing assembly, the cartridge receiving half-section further including a pair of spaced sidewalls, one of the spaced sidewalls having an outwardly facing surface defining a depression; and 
 a clamping lever secured to the cartridge receiving half-section, the clamping lever having a proximal portion and a distal portion and including a handle portion, 
 the clamping lever being operably associated with the anvil half-section and the cartridge receiving half-section and being movable from an unclamped position to a clamped position to releasably secure the anvil portion of the anvil half-section in close approximation with the cartridge, wherein the clamping lever further includes a pair of spaced sidewalls positioned in opposition to the spaced sidewalls of the cartridge receiving half-section, one of the spaced sidewalls of the clamping lever having an inwardly facing surface defining an inwardly extending protrusion that extends in a direction towards the other spaced sidewall of the clamping lever, the protrusion being positionable within the depression of the cartridge receiving half-section to prevent the clamping lever from moving to a position where the clamping lever could be disengaged from the cartridge receiving section. 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamping lever is mountable to the cartridge receiving half-section at a first angle and rotated toward a clamping position to move the protrusion within the depression. 
     
     
       3. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamping lever has a C-shaped recess and the cartridge receiving half-section has a pivot member having a flat surface. 
     
     
       4. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the C-shaped recess has a width smaller than a diameter of the pivot member such that the pivot member needs to be slid into the recess along a surface of the flat surface. 
     
     
       5. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the clamping lever is inserted into engagement with the pivot member at an obtuse angle to a proximal portion of the cartridge receiving half-section. 
     
     
       6. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the clamping lever is pivoted to an acute angle to the proximal portion of the cartridge receiving section. 
     
     
       7. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamping lever has a flange having a cutout dimensioned to receive a lateral support of the anvil half-section. 
     
     
       8. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a spring member which is supported on the clamping lever and positioned to engage the cartridge receiving half-section to urge the clamping lever to the unclamped position.